


One Day

by duchess_black



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Sirius/Remus - Freeform, july15th, one day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-19 01:17:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11302746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duchess_black/pseuds/duchess_black
Summary: Two people, one date, twenty years.





	One Day

July 15th 1988

The sky was grey; it usually was in Edinburgh, but it was a different kind of grey which Sirius had never really seen before. It was calming and beautiful and perhaps even romantic. God he must have been really drunk if he was lamenting on how romantic the streets of Edinburgh were at 4 am in the morning. Not two minutes ago they had walked past a regurgitated Kebab on the pavement and had leapt over a mysterious yellow stream which was running down the Old Town steps which led to Victoria Terrace. Very Romantic. 

Maybe the romance of the night was down to sentimentality. Tonight had been a pretty momentous occasion in their university careers: graduation. Four years of supposed hard work culminating in a night of celebration. 

Or perhaps the romance was all down to the fact that Sirius’ best mate, James Potter was currently snogging the face off a girl he had been chasing for the better part of two years. They were all over the place; joined as one at the lips, staggering against gravity. Sirius stood and watched in disgust. Two years of pining and pursuing to end up in this: a drunken fumble which no doubt was going to turn into tears the next morning when Miss Evans came to her senses. Poor James.

Sirius frowned at this. No, not poor James. It was all he deserved breaking his pact he had made with Sirius. Tonight was to be about them: no pulling. Sirius had kept up his end of the bargain, but James… 

Maybe Sirius shouldn't be so hard on him considering the unlikeliness of the conquest. Lily had repeatedly refused the tall boy’s advances at steady rate since second year; how was James to know she would cave tonight. No, Sirius couldn't be sore with him after all. Tonight was the last night; a night of last chances so who was Sirius to begrudge him that? 

It did mean he had missed out on a last night of drunken student sex. He could begrudge James that. There had been several of the University hockey team members in the union tonight and Marlene McKinnon had looked spectacular too but Sirius steadfastly stuck to the agreement. More bloody fool him. 

He watched James and Lily swaying for a moment and realised belatedly that they're drunken course was heading in his direction. He took a step backwards to avoid the collision and got a monumental shock to find that he had collided into someone else instead. Turning around sharply he was met with with a stunned pair of Amber eyes. His own widened at the realisation he had forgotten it hadn't just been the three of them. Lily’s quiet friend had been with them all this time and Sirius had completely blanked him by accident. He stared at him in bewilderment, as if never seeing him before, which was ridiculous because Sirius did know who he was; he even knew his name. Remus Lupin.

Remus Lupin was, as previously mentioned, best friends with the girl James had been obsessed with so of course Sirius knew who he was. They had even spoken before. Sirius knew he was a Politics and English Graduate and had even shared some classes with James in the former subject. He also knew the boy was fiercely intelligent with a wit which was just as sharp, when he wasn't being shy. He knew the boy had also once been on the uni rugby team back in first year but the news of him being gay had forced him from continuing on the team. Yes, Sirius did indeed know who this young man was: he just hadn't paid him particular mind before now.

Now, well, technically it was just the two of them considering their friends had been lost to their passions. They regarded one another quietly. Never in a million years had Sirius thought he would end his graduation night in this man’s company. Before their pact, he had thought he'd end it in bed with some hottie; an impressionable fresher perhaps? But not this! Not with some gay lad he barely knew, some gay lad he was probably never going to see again…

Some gay lad which was kind of handsome in a strange way. 

For a brief second an image of his previous expectation flitted through his head but this time the impressionable fresher was replaced. He had expected a night of last chances. Maybe his last chance was to do something he hadn't expected?

-

‘Just mind yourself,’ a Welsh accented young man warned over his shoulder as he entered the dim light of his bedroom, ‘there's a step here.’

On entering his room, Remus Lupin stepped aside in order to hold the door open for his unexpected visitor. The image of Sirius Black walking through the thresh hold was bizarre. He was at complete odds again the dark, scruffiness of the room. Even in his drunken, dishevelled state, the young man exuded a polished preppy-ness which Remus couldn't pull off in a million years. Remus watched as Sirius took in the posters on his wall; many of the, political on the side of the spectrum which was probably polar opposite from the young man’s own beliefs. If Sirius looked like anything, it was an ex-public school boy. An ex-public school boy who was incredibly handsome; an ex-public school boy who was more than Remus’ type.

‘Would you like a drink?’ Remus asked and inwardly winced at the nerves which were evident in his voice. Way to play it smooth Lupin, he admonished himself; way to sound like a fucking virgin, which of course, he wasn't. Not that he was the opposite either. It had been a while since he had had anyone in his bedroom, what with the work on his dissertation and his involvement in the debate team. It had definitely been a while and tonight had come as a complete surprise.

‘No thanks,’ his unexpected conquest refused with a smile as he ran a hand through his dark locks; a hand which had not thirty minutes ago grabbed Remus’ to usher them away from their drunken friends. Sirius had waited until they were down on Victoria Street before tugging him close and planting his lips on his; making his intention for removing Remus from their small group clear.

‘Right, well make yourself comfortable,’ the Welsh lad gestured to his bed, ‘I'll just be back in a second.’ 

He made a dash for the shared bathroom of his flat, which mercifully was across the landing from his room and considered his plan of action quickly. He needed to freshen up a bit. He was aware he was a bit smelly from spending the entire day with a suit and graduation gown on; then there was the fact that he had been dancing in the union all night. Add to that the numerous pints of beer which were slopped down him and a smoke machine that was intent on making it nigh impossible to see who you wee actually dancing with. He made quick work of rectifying this by whipping of his top and grabbing a flannel to wipe under his arms. The same flannel worked its magic down below quickly and was then tossed in the clothes hamper. Simultaneously he brushed his teeth and attempted to flatten his hair with his other hand. Normally he wouldn't go to so much trouble over a drunken shag but in truth he had never pulled someone as handsome as the young man who was waiting for him in his room. He couldn't believe his luck really. He had been aware of Sirius Black since first year, who hadn't? He just hadn't been aware that this could ever be a possibility. He had always been under the impression the gorgeous young man had only ever been into gorgeous young girls. Clearly not. The gorgeous young man was seemingly into him.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, he made one last ditch to get his honey coloured locks under control. He really wished he had had that pre-graduation haircut now. Now it looked overgrown and scruffy with its curling edges whilst Sirius’ was slicked back to perfection. Ah well. The other man clearly liked something he saw, there was no point in worrying about that now. He considered putting his top back on but decided against it. It was only going to be whisked off in a second anyway. Hastily he made his way back towards his room and quickly slipped back inside.

‘Oh.’ The word escaped his mouth on sight of the other man. He was still standing and had his gown in his hand. Everything about him made it clear what his intentions were; he was leaving.

‘Erm yeah, sorry,’ the visitor looked uncomfortable, ‘I just remembered James’ parents are coming round early and it's already getting on a bit.’ Sirius wasn't wrong. It was already light out what with it being in the midst of a Scottish summer.

‘Right,’ Remus nodded, trying to quell his disappointment and the feeling of ridiculousness since he was standing half naked in front of someone who was clearly not interested in him.

‘Yeah so I best be getting a taxi.’

‘You could try,’ Remus conceded but couldn't help but help the young man out, ‘But you'd be lucky to get one at this time. It's just past four, they're a bloody nightmare.’

The grey eyed young man nodded in understanding and looked like he was trying to work out his next plan of action. ‘I'll walk then. It won't take too long surely.’

‘You live on Castle Terrace? That's like fifty minutes from here.’ Being on the skinter side of student life Remus and his mates had opted to live in Leith. ‘And it's not exactly a safe walk alone. Give me a minute and I'll get ready. I'll walk you home.’

‘No!’ Sirius refused in alarm, ‘I can't have you doing that. Then you’ll need to walk home alone! I'll just….’

‘You can stay here,’ the topless young man suggested, ‘I'd say one of us could kip on the sofa but you can barely sit on the damn thing. We could share the bed.’

The other man looked at him doubtfully.

‘I'm not going to try anything on. Jesus, what do you take me for!’ Remus laughed, ‘you're not interested anymore, I get that.’

‘It’s not…’ The young man faltered, ‘it's not that… It's not because you're…’

‘Sirius it's fine,’ Remus reassured him, lying to the both of them. ‘You're not interested, you’re entitled to change your mind. I'm not a monster, I'm not going to make you do something against your will.’

‘I know that!’ Sirius countered and then glanced at the bed. ‘Right I suppose it makes sense to stay and get a taxi in the morning.’

‘I'll even phone for it myself,’ Remus offered with a smile.

With the decision made the pair got ready for bed. Remus considered taking off his trousers but settled on keeping them on to make his bed mate more comfortable with their close proximity. He tried not to look as Sirius divested himself of his white Oxford and busied himself with climbing under his duvet cover. When he looked back up he was surprised to see that the other young man had even gone as far as to take his trousers off too. What's more he was looking at Remus as if he was weighing something up.

‘Fuck it,’ the posh boy cursed and climbed in beside him, ‘I hate sleeping tops to tail with people. I'd rather have a cuddle than stare at someone's feet all night.’

‘My, my someone’s presumptuous if they think they're getting a cuddle out of me. I'm simply not that kind of boy.’

‘Oh please,’ the visitor to the bed said incredulously as he snuggled into Remus’ side, ‘you were going to let me do much more than cuddle. I know how loose you are now.’

‘Yeah,’ the rejected one forced out a laugh but the truth was he just didn't get it. All the way back to Leith they had been all over one another. Snogging every hundred yards or so; giggling into one another's mouths. What had changed? ‘just out of interest, for future reference, what did I do change your mind?’ He held his breath as he awaited the reply. He had almost given up hope for one when the other man craned his neck up to look at him.

‘Truthfully?’ Sirius asked and looked a little nervous with what he was about to say. Remus nodded and steeled himself for a blow to his ego. ‘I'm… I'm not gay.’

'Right,' the amber eyed boy frowned; needing more explanation than that. 

‘I'm not gay and I've never really had the inclination or curiosity before tonight.’

‘So…’ He faltered, ‘what are you trying to tell me? Why did you come home with me?’

‘Because…’ And Remus could spot the cringing look as he turned his face away to make his confession, ‘you were… there.’

What?

‘Please don't hate me!’

‘I…’ But he was stunned, ‘I mean, how can I hate you? I don't even know you properly. Maybe if I had known you better I would have known not to have…’

‘I just thought that you looked lovely, standing there all…’

‘No, you just thought I looked convenient.’

‘Remus…’ The embarrassed man pleaded, ‘I know this makes me sound awful. Maybe a little. I mean yeah I thought I could make the most of the situation and try something new out. Then we got here and I realised you were like this person, you know, who might have feelings and it'd be really shitty of me to use you like that when I had given it all but thirty seconds of consideration. You probably deserve better than that.’

‘Probably?’ Remus chocked out indignantly.

‘Well like, we don't actually know each other. So maybe you're horrible and do deserve it but I don’t think that's right. I think you're a good bloke, if you're friends with Evans. I wish I knew you better to know if you did deserved to be fucked over.’

A silence fell over the pair as they contemplated that. 

‘It's not as if you've never had a chance before. We have been in one another's company before. You've just never bothered with me before. Saying that there have probably been more convenient people closer at hand before.’

‘Don't be like that. I'm sorry.’ Sirius pleaded, ‘and we’re talking now. We can be friends now. You seem nice. James knows you too.’

'You want to be friends with me?' The not so long ago offended man asked suspiciously.

‘Why not? I'm a friendly bloke.’

‘Too friendly judging by all that kissing,’ Remus joked, seeing the funnier side to the strange turn of events and Sirius let out a muffled bark of laughter. ‘Okay, so friends? What are we going to do as friends? The definition of a friendship is two people who spend time together and I'll wager you're not going to be around these parts much longer?’

Remus’ new friend hummed in consideration at this. ‘We could do something tomorrow?’

‘I thought james’ parents were arriving early or was that a lie too?’

The dark head swivelled up once again to face him, this time to flash him a mischievous smile. ‘Well nobody can claim they don't lie to their friends occasionally!’

‘You're unbelievable!’ Remus cried out indignantly.

‘That's the beautiful thing about friendship Remus,’ Sirius grinned, ‘friends forgive each other!’

‘They also don't break promises!’ The owner of the bed countered, ‘so I'm holding you to it. Tomorrow we’re doing something. Think of it as a way to make up for your horrible track record in this friendship thus far!’ 

‘Okay, I promise,’ Sirius said in what sounded like an earnest way before cuddling again into the other man’s side. ‘I'm going to be a fantastic friend.’


End file.
